Meredith Vacca
Meredith Vacca has been confirmed as the U.S. District Judge for the Western District of New York. Vacca, who becomes the first Asian American woman to sit on the federal bench in this district, was born in Korea and moved to Rochester as an infant.
Her confirmation by the U.S. Senate follows a tenure as a prosecutor with the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office spanning over a decade, and subsequent roles as a county court and state supreme court justice.
Sen. Chuck Schumer recommended Vacca’s nomination, highlighting her background as a former prosecutor and acting state Supreme Court Justice since last year. With her confirmation, Vacca’s appointment equalizes gender the number of men and women serving as judges for the Western District.